NCJW Decries Veto of Compromise on Children's Health Insurance Program

October 3, 2007, Washington, DC -- The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) today decried the veto by President Bush of the compromise bill extending the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). NCJW President Phyllis Snyder released the following statement:

"The president's veto of the compromise bill to extend the State Children's Insurance Program (SCHIP) is unconscionable. Congress worked hard to achieve a bipartisan bill that would increase funding by $35 billion over the next five years and cover several million more children beyond the 6.6 million already enrolled.

"About nine million children in the United States are without health insurance. The number of uninsured children rose by one million in the last two years. Between 2000 and 2006, the cost of insurance went up 87 percent. The president should do the math. The new law is desperately needed.

"That our country continues to leave children to the mercy of a health care marketplace that has proved over and over that it cannot deliver quality health care at a reasonable price is a national disgrace. President Bush's veto must be overturned, and we urge Congress to exercise its prerogative to do so."

NCJW is a volunteer organization, inspired by Jewish values, that works to improve the quality of life for women, children, and families and to ensure individual rights and freedoms for all through its network of 90,000 members, supporters, and volunteers nationwide.

Contact:
Debbie Stillman
202 296 2588 x2; debbie@ncjwdc.org